This document details the posting requirements for pesticide applications made to lawns and ornamental plants in Florida.

Background

Florida law requires pesticide applicators to post notices of pesticide applications they make to lawns and exterior foliage (ornamental plantings) when these are part of the landscape around a building. This requirement is in the Florida Structural Pest Control Law (Chapter 482 F.S.), which is administered by the Bureau of Licensing and Enforcement of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The posting requirement applies to pesticide applications made by the following licensed applicators:

Commercial Pest Control Operators—Lawn and Ornamental Category.

Commercial Pest Control Operators—General Household Pest Control category, when a pesticide application is made to a lawn or exterior foliage to control certain household pests associated with the structure being treated.

Limited Certification—Lawn and Ornamental Category.

Limited Certification—Structural, when a pesticide application is made to a lawn or ornamentals to control certain household pests associated with the structure being treated.

Pesticide applications made by homeowners to the lawn and ornamentals associated with their residence.

Specific Posting Requirements

1.The notice must be posted in a conspicuous location at the time of the application of the pesticide to a lawn or exterior foliage. Figure 1represents the required physical makeup of the notice.

2.The minimum size of the sign is 4" x 5". It must be constructed of rigid, durable, weatherproof material with the background and lettering in contrasting colors. The size of print and symbol must be in conformity with the example in Figure 1.

3.The business name of the licensee or the name of the limited certificate holder making the pesticide application must be clearly identified on the notice.

4.The notice may be a part of a larger sign containing additional information.

Footnotes

1.

This document is PI6 (originally publised as AS596), one of a series of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date August 1992. Revised December 2004 and October 2015. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. For additional Information, contact the UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office, PO Box 110710, Gainesville, FL 32611-0710, (352) 392-4721.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county's UF/IFAS Extension office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.